How to get Maximum Performance from your Tone2 Pro and Tone1 on Linux
Objectives
- Maximum performance - YES
- Bit-perfect audio playback - YES
- Native DSD playback - YES
System Preparation
For maximum performance, you need to use the native Linux-ALSA stack! Please avoid PulseAudio if you want to obtain the best audio quality from your Tone2 Pro or Tone1.
1. Disable PulseAudio for Tone2 Pro, Tone1, and other Khadas Audio Devices
NOTE: You can skip this step if PulseAudio not installed in your system. To check, use the command:
which pulseaudio || echo PulseAudio not installed
If PulseAudio is installed, it is very easy to create a custom configuration file!
sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/89-pulseaudio-usb.rules <<END
# Disable PulseAudio for next usb-audio devices by usb-id
# Tone2 Pro
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ATTRS{idProduct}=="a002", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# Tone2
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ATTRS{idProduct}=="a004", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# Tone1
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ATTRS{idProduct}=="a001", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# Tea
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ATTRS{idProduct}=="a005", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# Tea Pro
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ATTRS{idProduct}=="a006", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# Tone1 with XMOS usbid
ATTRS{idVendor}=="20b1", ATTRS{idProduct}=="000a", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# just one line for all XMOS devices
ATTRS{idVendor}=="20b1", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
# just one line for all Khadas Audio devices
ATTRS{idVendor}=="3353", ENV{PULSE_IGNORE}="1"
END
Now just re-plug your Tone2 Pro or Tone1 device to your machine for the new configuration to take effect.
2. Check If Native DSD Playback is Supported on Your Tone2 Pro or Tone1
Enter the following command into Terminal:
grep -H DSD_U32_BE /proc/asound/card?/stream0 && \
echo Native DSD support - ok
3. What should I do, if DSD is not supported?
Your Linux system is using an old kernel! Please check your kernel version using the command uname -r, and check this topic Does the v2.00 Firmware sound better? - #6 by hyphop, and then upgrade your Linux kernel.
How to Display All Supported Formats
Get a list of all supported audio file formats using Terminal:
grep "" /proc/asound/card?/stream0
# or
grep -e usb -e Format -e Bits -e Rates /proc/asound/card?/stream0
Example Output:
Khadas Tone2 Pro at usb-0000:03:00.4-1, high speed : USB Audio
Format: S32_LE
Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000, 705600, 768000
Bits: 32
Format: S32_LE
Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000, 705600, 768000
Bits: 24
Format: SPECIAL DSD_U32_BE
Rates: 44100, 48000, 88200, 96000, 176400, 192000, 352800, 384000, 705600, 768000
Bits: 32
Use MPD Audio Player with Tone2 Pro and Tone1
About MPD
Music Player Daemon (MPD) is a flexible, powerful, server-side application for playing music. Through plugins and libraries it can play a variety of sound files while being controlled by its network protocol.
Why MPD?
- Maximum performance - YES
- Bit-perfect audio playback - YES
- Native DSD playback - YES
MPD User Manuals
Install MPD (example)
sudo apt-get install mpd mpc ncmpc
Prepare MPD (example)
Create music folders and the mpd config file (your music library must be accessible from these folders)
mkdir ~/mpd/music ~/mpd/playlists
Minimal MPD Config File (example)
MPD searches for a config file in $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/mpd/mpd.conf then ~/.mpdconf then /etc/mpd.conf or … read more man mpd
nano ~/.mpdconf
# ~/.mpdconf - minimal mpd configuration for bit-perfect DSD playback
music_directory "~/mpd/music"
playlist_directory "~/mpd/playlists"
db_file "~/mpd/base"
log_file "/dev/null"
pid_file "~/mpd/mpd.pid"
state_file "~/mpd/mpd.state"
sticker_file "~/mpd/sticker.sql"
group "audio"
#bind_to_address "localhost"
bind_to_address "any"
bind_to_address "~/mpd/mpd.socket"
follow_outside_symlinks "yes"
follow_inside_symlinks "yes"
auto_update "yes"
auto_update_depth "6"
#zeroconf_enabled "yes"
#zeroconf_name "Music Player @ %h"
audio_output {
type "alsa"
name "Tone2"
# use only hardware devices for bit-perfect playback
device "hw:CARD=Pro,DEV=0"
# optimal buffer/period size for maximum performance
# about 2% system usage only ;)
buffer_time "409600"
period_time "40960"
# only use hardware volume control
mixer_type "null"
# software volume control, you may/may not need this ;)
# mixer_type "software"
# disable all format conversions
auto_resample "no"
auto_channels "no"
auto_format "no"
# Disable DSD over PCM, as we have native playback from the Linux kernel
# dop "yes"
}
audio_output {
type "alsa"
name "Tone1"
device "hw:CARD=Control,DEV=0"
buffer_time "409600"
period_time "40960"
mixer_type "null"
auto_resample "no"
auto_channels "no"
auto_format "no"
#dop "yes"
}
audio_output {
type "null"
name "NULL"
}
filesystem_charset "UTF-8"
audio_buffer_size "512"
#buffer_before_play "5"
How to Get the Proper ALSA Device Name, to get Bit-Perfect Playback
-
aplay -L|grep -A1 ^hw:- full list -
aplay -L|grep -A1 ^hw:|grep USB -B1- only usb list -
aplay -L|grep -A1 ^hw:|grep Tone -B1|head -n1- only for Tone board
MPD Test/Check Foreground Run Mode
To detect problems and run more checks, input the following command:
mpd -v --stderr --no-daemon ~/.mpdconf
MPD Start/Stop
just mpd ~/.mpdconf or mpd or mpd --kill - kill the currently running mpd session
Basic MPC Usage Example
mpc is a command-line client for the Music Player Daemon (MPD). It connects to a MPD and controls it according to commands and arguments passed to it. If no command is given, the current status is printed (same as “mpc status”).
mpc add DSD_test_512.44100.2.dsf
mpc add '09 - Faith No More - Be Aggressive.flac'
mpc add http://s4-webradio.rockantenne.de/alternative
# play it
mpc play
mpc repeat on
mpc
mpc outputs
mpc stop
mpc clear
mpc update
# get full commands list
mpc help
How to Check Which Output Format and Rate is Currently Used for My Tone Board?
cat $(dirname /proc/asound/card?/stream0)/pcm?p/sub?/hw_params
Native 512-DSD output example:
access: RW_INTERLEAVED
format: DSD_U32_BE
subformat: STD
channels: 2
rate: 705600 (705600/1)
period_size: 28902
buffer_size: 131072
MPD Client Interfaces
- mpc - command-line client (must have)
- ncmpc - common console GUI (must have)
- M.A.L.P. - android client
- A MPD client for iOS - iOS player
- full list - Clients for the Music Player Daemon
All are welcome to give comments, replies and suggestions for improvement!
